The Duke of Mantua boasts of his many amatory escapades in which he is aided by Rigoletto, his jester, a hunchback. Rigoletto, both by his caustic wit and unscrupulous conduct, has made many enemies at the court. He suggests that the Duke might win the beautiful Countess Ceprano by imprisoning her husband. Count Ceprano vows in revenge to abduct a young girl whom he believes to be the mistress of Rigoletto. When Count Monterone forces his way in to denounce the Duke for seducing his daughter, the jester meets him with laughter and derision. As Monterone is led off to prison, he curses Rigoletto.

Rigoletto has a daughter, Gilda, whom he keeps in strict seclusion. As he hurries home to her, late at night, he broods over the curse of Monterone. He is accosted in the street by Sparafucile, a professional assassin, who offers his services for a fee. The Duke, unknown to Rigoletto, has seen and fallen in love with Gilda, though he does not know who she is. As Rigoletto leaves the house, the Duke slips into the garden, and posing as a poor student, declares his love to Gilda. When footsteps are heard in the street, he flees.

Count Ceprano, believing Gilda to be the mistress of Rigoletto, has formed a plan to carry off the young girl and so arranges it that Rigoletto unwittingly assists in her abduction. Told that it is the Countess Ceprano who is to be kidnapped, he allows himself to be blindfolded and holds the ladder for the abductors as they break into his house and quickly carry off Gilda.

The Duke believes that his courtiers have robbed him of Gilda. When they return and tell him that the girl is in his chamber, he rushes to the conquest. Rigoletto enters in search of his daughter. Gilda appears and runs in shame to her father, who orders the courtiers to leave. The girl tells her father of the long courtship of the Duke whom she had seen in church. As Monterone is led through the corridors, Rigoletto swears to avenge himself; Gilda, out of love, begs for the Duke’s pardon.

Rigoletto engages Sparafucile to murder the Duke. This man has a sister, Maddalena, who lures the Duke to their inn. She becomes fascinated with him, however, and begs her brother to spare his life and kill Rigoletto instead. Sparafucile refuses, but agrees to substitute the next guest who comes to the inn. Rigoletto brings Gilda to the inn to witness the Duke making love to Maddalena in order to cure his daughter of her unfortunate love. Gilda overhears Sparafucile’s promise to his sister, knocks on the door, and is stabbed on entering. Rigoletto returns to collect the body of the Duke and is given a sack. The jester is about to throw it into the river when he hears the voice of the Duke in the inn. He tears open the sack only to find his own daughter and realizes that the curse of Monterone has been fulfilled.